Conducting Your Own Research: Why it Matters Mr. Dudley Calfee General Manager Ferris Farms

Why do your own research? As a grower you may have a unique and different perspective from researchers and scientists. Conducting “on-farm trials” should make you a better grower through careful observation and attention to detail. New practices and technologies can be more quickly evaluated for success or failure if numerous small test sites are evaluated and the information shared. Growers can play a key role in this process.

Some variables you can control and study Fertilizers Irrigation practices Pine bark types Soil type – with amendments Water and pine bark pH effects Hydrogen cyanamide Pruning practices Your unique ideas to improve production And of course, “snake oil”

Variables you can control and study These variables can affect your bottom line – We should not spend money on things that do not increase profitability. – How do we know that what we are doing with fertilizers, nutritionals, and cultural practices makes a difference with fruit production? – Remember, without an untreated control we have no means for evaluating products or practices.

How do we evaluate our plants? What do we hear/say? – The plants look great – Nice flush – Nice bloom set – Nice fruit set But… – We can’t sell leaves – Not every bloom becomes a berry – Not every berry is the same size or weight.

How do we evaluate our plants? And…. you can’t see a – 5%, – 10% – or even 20% difference in yield on the bush.

So how can we determine? What makes a difference in yield What makes the fruit ripen earlier What is more profitable Research = get the data.

Example of an on-farm experiment 5 plant plots x 3 with replicate control plots x 3 = 6 plots per “trial.” Separate the plants into plots with PVC risers. Designate one picker as your “experimental harvester”. Pay them for their time and berries they pick. Harvest the plots before each pick, weight the fruit and record the data – note fruit quality and condition.

Data Sheet Blueberry Experimental Data 2013 BB#1 Pick Date 9th spklr: JNDM1 JNDM2 JNDM3 JDM1 JDM2 JDM3 ENDM1 ENDM2 ENDM3 EDM1 EDM2 EDM3 Big Oak: T1 T2 T3 NT1 NT2 NT3

Evaluating Results Review the data at the end of the harvest season. Look for timing of harvest Did the fruit come in earlier/later? You may get less fruit, but it may be worth more if it came in earlier.

Evaluating Results Look at total production – how much did each plot yield? Compare the results using current year’s price per pound. Boil the data down to dollars.

Evaluating Results Just because something made a difference this year, it may have a different effect next season. – Different weather, chill hours – More or less rain – Extremes – remember the and winters? Repeat the experiment to see if you can duplicate the result.

Questions?